Call Before You Dig
To avoid injuring yourself and interrupting someone's utility service, it is important to know where underground utility services are buried in your area before you begin digging.
Two working days before you dig, call Indiana Underground Protection Services at 1-800-382-5544.
Call before you dig! It's the law!
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Pipeline Safety
Many people don't realize the importance of our nation's
natural gas pipeline system. The natural gas industry has a proven record of
safety. Each day, the underground invisible network of over a million miles of
pipeline safely carries natural gas from supply areas to customers' home,
businesses and factories across the country.
Our gas control and monitoring center offices operate 24-hours a day, seven
days a week. We regularly patrol our pipeline rights of way and conduct regular
inspections of our pipeline system. Our operation employees receive regular
training and are qualified under U.S. Department of Transportation standards
for natural gas pipeline operators.
We spend millions of dollars each year in pipeline replacements and upgrades.
Employees are on-call at all times to respond to any contingency. In addition,
we work with emergency responders to make them aware of our pipelines and how
to respond in an emergency.
In accordance with federal regulations, some segments along the pipeline have
been designated as High Consequence Areas. We have developed supplemental
assessments and prevention plans for these highly populated areas with
transmission pipelines.
To learn more, click on the links below, or visit the Web site of the U.S.
Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety at www.phmsa.dot.gov. PHMSA
is the federal agency that regulates safety aspects of the gas industry.
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Prevent Fire-Related Tragedies
Here are some tips to prevent fire-related tragedies in your
home. Unfortunately, you may have fire hazards in your home that you don't even
know about. Take some time to remove, or minimize, potentially flammable items and make sure caution is taken around anything that can cause a fire. For example:
- Inspect your home from the top down. The next time you're in your attic, check the
insulation. If you have cellulose insulation, made of ground newspaper,
consider removing it because it is naturally flammable. While cellulose is
treated to make it fire resistant, the permanency of the treatment has
recently come into question. (To find out what kind of insulation is in
your attic, contact a professional insulation contractor. To find one,
look in the Yellow Pages of your telephone book. If you have cellulose,
consider having it replaced with a noncombustible insulation.)
- Install smoke detectors or check your existing ones. In the event of a fire, smoke
detectors can reduce the risk of death in a home fire by nearly 50 percent.
- Install detectors throughout the home if you don't already have them. If you have
some, check the batteries at least once a year.
- Plot out and regularly practice escape plans. Hold frequent "fire drills." In a two-story home, consider keeping a ladder near all upstairs beds.
- Install automatic residential fire sprinklers. If a fire breaks out, sprinklers can help contain and subdue it quickly.
- Use caution with cooling equipment, heating devices and smoking materials.
Keep fire extinguishers handy in the kitchen in case of a fire.\
- Have your heating system checked yearly by a qualified specialist. Preventive maintenance can uncover a problem before it occurs. It's a simple procedure to call a heating contractor to inspect and test the system.
- Use caution with the fireplace and woodburning stoves. Always use a screen when a fireplace is in operation. Also, have the fireplace cleaned annually.
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Energy-Saving Ideas
Using energy wisely can reduce consumption and save money on utility bills, according to the American Gas Association (AGA) and NIFL. We offer these suggestions for homeowners looking for simple ways to conserve energy:
- Seal leaks around doors, windows and other openings, such as pipes or ducts -- with caulk or weatherstripping.
- Set thermostats between 65-70°F in the winter, at least five degrees lower when you're sleeping,
and at 58°F when you're away from home for more than a few hours. (Warmer temperatures are recommended for homes with ill or elderly persons or infants.)
- Set water heater temperatures at 120°F and install water-flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets.
- Change filters or clean the filters in heating and cooling units twice a year. Close vents and doors
in unused rooms. If pipes or ducts run through unheated areas, insulate them.
- Use drapes, shutters, awnings, shade trees, glass with reflective film or solar screens to keep
sunlight out in the summer and let it in during the winter.
- Check to see if attic and basement (or crawl space) have the recommended
level of insulation.
- If you have a woodburning fireplace, consider installing a natural gas fireplace insert, which can save on energy costs compared with wood. A gas fireplace also will dramatically reduce the air pollution created from burning wood.
- Consider storm or thermal windows and doors or double-paned glass. A less-expensive alternative is
plastic sheeting, which can be temporarily fastened over doors and windows to retain heat or air conditioning.
- Be sure that dishwashers, washing machines and clothes dryers are fully loaded before using them.
- When buying new appliances, compare energy-efficiency ratings and annual operating costs. A slightly
higher initial cost for high-efficiency appliances could be recovered in a very short time through energy savings and lower utility bills.
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